Various communities across St. Vincent and the Grenadines have been beautified with murals reflecting the culture, people and beauty of the island.
The Goodness Tour: Music and Art for People Facing Adversity in partnership with the Ministry of National Mobilisation and UNICEF, have joined forces to use music and the arts to provide a form of psychosocial support for Vincentians affected and displaced by the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano.
Goodness Tour Creative Therapy and Mural project director Benjamin Swatez detailed his experience in SVG.
Swatez said collaborating with the Vincentian public and local artists allows for the creation of grounded pieces. He also commented on how the project impacted the children they were able to interact with at the various shelters.
Swatez said he hope to see a continuation of the murals by the local artists once his group leaves, especially given the zealous response from the communities they’ve painted thus far.
This sentiment was echoed by local artisan Julian “Pilling” Pollard of SVG Players International mas band. Pollard detailed how informative the experience has been for him, noting the unsung talent of many young Vincentian visual artists, and the impact he believes the murals will have on local talent.
Shanique Stewart- a qualified fine artist said the murals outside the Victoria Park inspired her love for the visual arts, she said while the art form is often not prioritised in SVG, she has kept going despite feeling demotivated at times. Stewart said working with the Goodness Tour has helped to restore her love for visual arts.
